Patriots’ Matthew Judon Earns AFC Defensive Player Of The Week

For his monster game against the Detroit Lions, Matthew Judon was recognized as the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for Week 5.

Judon, arguably the Patriots’ best defensive player through five games, registered seven quarterback pressures and two sacks in Sunday’s 29-0 rout of the Lions, including a strip-sack that safety Kyle Dugger returned 59 yards for a touchdown at Gillette Stadium.

He’s the first Patriots player to receive a weekly honor this season and the first New England linebacker to do so since Kyle Van Noy in 2019. It’s Judon’s second career Defensive Player of the Week nod, with his first coming for Baltimore in 2017.

Judon is the first player in Patriots history to record at least one sack in each of the team’s first five games. He has six total, tied for the NFL lead with Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa and Maxx Crosby.

“We have plays called and put in to allow me just to go,” Judon said after Sunday’s game. “Sometimes, I’ve got to run a game and loop things of that nature. But when I get those calls and I hear those calls, I’m excited. But I don’t take any play for granted. I play full speed, try to full tilt, but when I know I get to go, it’s a little extra off the line.”

The 2-3 Patriots will visit the 2-3 Cleveland Browns this Sunday.